Friday, February 22, 2013

the new normal

Life is beginning to get back to normal, whatever that is. I mean I'm working a lot, reading a slew of new books, also receiving the New Yorker again. When I don't have interesting things to read, the light bulb above my head can't burn brightly. Do you know what I mean?

The new normal is me in my 60s. I've been talking about being an old lady for decades. I have finally arrived. Yesterday I was asking myself if I had romanticized my 60s, earlier in life when I looked forward to this decade. Of course when I imagined what it would be like, I didn't understand the difference in energy, the internal and physical differences that come with age, not all of which are "bad" by the way. But somehow I knew I would feel at home in my 60s in a way I never have.

That sense of having arrived is calming, a great thing.

I continue to think about the question the Sufi acupuncturist asked me on my birthday - what do I want to do now that I've experienced all the animals in all the elements (of Chinese astrology). I've seen it all - once - now what do I want to do with the time I have left?

Hmmm.

Life is good and I am grateful. Shalom.

The flags around the Washington Monument appeared to be on fire at sunset. That's Rosslyn across the river on the right side of the pic.

3 comments:

Glad things are getting back to "normal" (whatever that is) for you. Just think -- if you didn't know how old you were, none of this stress would have transpired! Oh, for the era before record-keeping. :)

Seriously, it's easy for me to say, but I think the time to be concerned is when you feel the age in your body, rather than when you see it on the calendar.

One of the things that getting older has done for me is to free me from a lot of anxiety and made me more out-spoken. I mean, I don't shy away from confronting people with their bad behavior instead of turning a blind eye.